Postgraduate Course: Working with Self & Others: Skills Theories & Methods (SCWR11037)
Course Outline
| School | School of Social and Political Science |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | Working with vulnerable and disadvantaged individuals and groups is demanding for the social work professional who is often working in complex, chaotic situations and with service users who are not always receptive to such intervention. To operate at a satisfactory professional level and to ensure safety for self and service users, it is essential that professionals develop a heightened self awareness of their motivation for undertaking social work and an understanding of their own personal history and its impact upon their values, vulnerabilities and skills. Such awareness in turn informs the development of professional skills and the acquisition and application of theoretical methods of practice.
The focus on communication skills takes account of the cultural and situational context and addresses relevant issues with regard to power inequalities.
This course provides an experiential vehicle for the enhancement of self awareness; the learning and development of core communication skills and the opportunity to learn and apply key social work methods of practice. Essential understanding of group work processes is acquired via membership and participation in the group and the exploration of relevant theory. The course focus on self awareness and communication would be attractive to students from other programmes who wished to develop their personal and professional skills. The attention in semester 2 to theoretical practice perspectives would be of interest to students wishing to develop methods for engagement with people in a variety of complex contexts. The course will take account of international and cultural influences on communication, sense of self and engagement with others.
PLEASE NOTE: THIS COURSE IS ONLY FOR STUDENTS ON THE MSW OR MSC IN GLOBAL MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMMES |
| Course description |
Communication skills, group work theory and practice. Experiential self awareness and social work practice methods and simulation.
The method of teaching facilitates active student engagement, creates an experiential environment and provides the opportunity for application and practise of communication skills and theoretical models. The attention to group process and group work theory supports the activity undertaken elsewhere in the programme in relation to the Enquiry Action Groups (EAL). Students are also provided with the opportunity to practise skills of reflection and presentation; essential aspects of professional practice.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2024/25, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: 30 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
196 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Students are required to attend and participate in each group session (10% of overall mark). The essay component must be passed in order to pass the course.
Stage 1 Formative assessment: throughout semester 1, students will be required to keep a reflective journal of their learning in relation to self awareness and skills acquisition. A journal extract will be submitted mid course.
Stage 2 Summative assessment: At the end of semester 2, students will write a 2,000 word reflective analysis of their overall learning throughout the course in relation to self awareness, skills acquisition, knowledge and application of group work and social work practice theories. (90% of overall mark) |
| Feedback |
Not entered |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Develop and critically reflect upon their self awareness of their motivation for professional practice.
- Develop and critically reflect upon their personal and professional communication skills, values and attributes.
- Demonstrate and analyse their understanding of the underpinning theory of communication skills, group work theory and social work practice methods.
- Apply and practise communication skills and theory acquisition via simulations of social work practice situations.
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Reading List
Indicative reading.
Coulshed, V. and Orme, J. (2012) Social Work Practice. An Introduction.( 5th Edition) Basingstoke. Palgrave.
Dominelli, L. and Payne, M (eds) (2002) Social Work Themes, Issues and Critical Debates.( 2nd edition) Basingstoke. Palgrave.
Healy, K. (2012) Social Work Methods and Skills. Basingstoke. Palgrave.
Koprowska, J (2005) Communication and interpersonal skills in Social Work. Exeter; Learning Matters.
Lishman, J. (ed) (2007) Handbook for Practice Learning in Social Work and Social Care. Knowledge and Theory. (2nd edition) London. Jessica Kingsley
Lishman, J. (2009) Communication in Social Work. Basingstoke; Palgrave Macmillan
Milner, J. and O¿Byrne, P. (1998) Assessment in Social Work. London. MacMillan Press.
Payne, M. (2005) Modern Social Work Theory. Basingstoke. Palgrave. MacMillan
Ruch, G. Turney, D. and Ward, A. (2010) Relationship-Based Social Work: Getting to the Heart of Practice, London: Jessica Kingsley
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Additional Class Delivery Information |
Lectures and groupworks |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Ms Eve Mullins
Tel:
Email: emullins@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Celia Atherton
Tel:
Email: cathert2@ed.ac.uk |
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